The Year of Wonders Being a literal and poetical translation of an old Latin prophecy, found near Merlin's cave, By S---n D---k [i.e. Stephen Duck] |
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 | The Year of Wonders |  |
View C--- deep in compremising Schemes,
Ambition, Av'rice, have ten Thousand Whims,
No Crimes like these in Hell's black Catalogue,
Contribute half so much to make a Rogue;
Mere Appetites Canine, the more they're fed,
The more they ask, the less they're nourished.
And what would all this wild Ambition crave?
To be, oh Prostitution! Premier Slave.
Ambition when by Virtue we restrain,
The noblest Root Heav'n can implant in Man:
If not, the Whole it overspreads and spoils,
The rankest Weed that thrives in richest Soils:
Then Avarice the utmost Meanness shews,
Ev'n Knaves and Fools spit at the Covetous.
Ambition, Av'rice, have ten Thousand Whims,
No Crimes like these in Hell's black Catalogue,
Contribute half so much to make a Rogue;
Mere Appetites Canine, the more they're fed,
The more they ask, the less they're nourished.
And what would all this wild Ambition crave?
To be, oh Prostitution! Premier Slave.
Ambition when by Virtue we restrain,
The noblest Root Heav'n can implant in Man:
If not, the Whole it overspreads and spoils,
The rankest Weed that thrives in richest Soils:
Then Avarice the utmost Meanness shews,
Ev'n Knaves and Fools spit at the Covetous.
| The Year of Wonders | |